Failure to connect the dots - UN Special Coordinator Report
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 16 September 2014
Take a look at:
OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL COORDINATOR
FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
Report to the
Ad Hoc Liaison Committee
New York, 22 September 2014
http://www.unsco.org/Documents/Special/UN%20AHLC%20Report%20Sept%202014.pdf
On the one hand: "The formation of the GNC under President Abbas and in
accordance with the PLO principles was welcomed by the international
community. The UN has long underscored the need for progress towards
Palestinian unity in line with existing resolutions, within the framework of
the PLO commitments and the positions of the Quartet and the Arab Peace
Initiative. In this regard, the UN acknowledged the renewed assurances by
the GNC that it will abide by the PLO commitments of recognition of Israel,
non-violence and adherence to previous agreements."
These "previous agreements" include that the Gaza Strip has no rockets.
We then have in the narrative that: "During this period of heightened
tension, rocket fire from militants in the Gaza Strip increased. Israel
responded with air strikes on the territory. The security situation began to
dramatically unravel on 7 July after Hamas, for the first time in 20 months,
claimed responsibility for firing a barrage of rockets towards Israel."
So rockets are clearly important. Almost ALL these rockets were
manufactured in the Gaza Strip.
And yet, there is ABSOLUTELY NO mention in the entire report of the need to
either clear out these rockets or halt the MANUFACTURING of these rockets in
the Gaza Strip.
Instead this UN report only relates to SMUGGLING: "Neither Israeli closure
nor militant smuggling of weapons or material for tunnels nor the continued
division of the Palestinians can offer anything beyond setting the stage for
another, even more catastrophic war."
And the only criticism of Hamas relates to tunnels: "It must also be said
that the effort and resources devoted by Hamas to construct this network in
order to launch attacks against Israel is unacceptable."
Again: The UN Special Coordinator recognizes that rocket attacks against
Israel were significant - but he makes no indication whatsoever that there
is any intention to actually do something to address this issue given that
most rockets are manufactured inside the Gaza Strip rather than smuggled in.
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